Hindu family donates brain-dead son’s liver to save Muslim man's life

New Delhi: In a heartwarming story of humanity and resilience, a Hindu family donated their brain-dead son’s liver to save the life of a differently-abled Muslim man suffering from liver cirrhosis, a Delhi hospital reported on Tuesday on the occasion of World Organ Donation Day.

Cirrhosis is a condition in which the liver gets scarred and becomes permanently damaged.

Doctors at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital diagnosed Mohammad Abrar with Hepatitis B. He also presented signs of advanced liver cirrhosis, including jaundice, ascites (abdominal swelling caused by accumulation of fluid), and internal bleeding.

Despite his physical challenges, Abrar led an active life, running his shop and participating in social activities. However, as his condition worsened, it severely impacted his personal and professional life.

Anil Arora, Chairman of Medical Gastroenterology at the hospital, recommended an urgent liver transplant. Abrar's condition was further complicated by lung and heart issues due to long-standing cirrhosis, making it a particularly high-risk surgery.

The surgery was also difficult due to Abrar's contracted right limb, a result of polio, which limited the operating space.

However, he got a life-saving transplant from a brain-dead young man at the same hospital. His family made the selfless decision to donate his organ to save Abrar, showing that humanity can often come out in the most unexpected situations.

After 15 days at the hospital, Abrar was discharged following full recovery, the doctor said, adding that he has resumed work.

World Organ Donation Day is observed every year on August 13 to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation and to dispel common misconceptions surrounding it.

India's cadaver organ donation rate is abysmally low -- less than one per million people. In stark contrast, Western countries have 70-80 per cent deceased organ donation.